A marathon, museums, and Moomins

A different direction for our morning stroll brought us to another part of Helsinki’s coastline. We heard the announcer and knew it was a road race. The Björn Borg Helsinki Marathon! Björn Borg is Swedish and played tennis, but his athletic clothing line is Björn Borg Helsinki and it sponsors the race.

Refreshed and pumped up from cheering on the runners, we headed to Amos Rex. This museum offers experimental contemporary art. The mission is to enable insight and create strong emotional memories. The roof of the gallery has several skylights that bubble up through the ground, creating a playful outdoor landscape, Lasipalatsi Square, a landmark in Helsinki.

We experienced Anna Estarriola’s inspiring and peculiar exhibit Staging Circumstances and Piles of Things. Also Enni-Kukka Tuomala’s participatory exhibition on empathy called Expanding Empathies. This was quite moving.

As we headed to HAM (the Helsinki Art Museum) we passed the Natural History Museum we waved to the bear, and kept walking.

The museum’s biennial was in full swing in this space and two other locations across Helsinki. The major contemporary art event showcases 37 artists or collectives from Finland and around the world. We also were able to see early works by Tove Jansson before her creation of the Moomins.  Party in the Countryside is a fresco which is part of the permanent collection.

Zig zagging our way around Helsinki we came across Kamppi Chapel, a place for silence. It is a pretty and quiet place.

There is a Lutheran church in Helsinki which is carved out of stone, Temppeliaukio Church. It is unassuming, elegant and a tourist attraction. There are amazing acoustics which has also made it a concert venue. No concerts were scheduled while we were there, but the interior alone is a reason to visit.

Moomins are celebrating their 80th birthday, and Finland is nuts for Moomins. Tove Jansson, the creator, author and illustrator of the Moomins wanted her art to bring beauty and joy to everyday environments. Her stories and art encourage the reader/viewer to construct their own interpretations and new stories.

The Moomins are the central characters in a series of Moomin books and a Moomintroll comic strip. The adventurous Moomin family live in their house in Moominvalley and have many adventures with their various friends. They are not hippos, they are Moomins.

We have seen all things Moomin including scissors, fine china and candy. There are Moomin stores and special anniversary collections at department stores and china shops.

The final stop in Helsinki for us is the Helsinki Central Station. The railway tracks in Helsinki were built in the 1860s. The station building, clad in granite, was designed by Eliel Saarinen and inaugurated in 1919. The building is known for its clock tower and the Lyhdynkantajat  (The Lantern Bearers) statues by Emil Wikström. The statues torsos are strong and able to hold giant globe lights and their legs are transformed into columns. The Helsinki Central Station has become the symbol of the entire rail network in Finland.

All aboard we are headed to Turku.